How do I know if Rear is still good?

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Andre68

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so im rebuilding my 68 dodge dart, and i have already stripped most of the car and pulled the tranny and engine, which will be receiving rebuilds.

Im wondering... how do I know if the rear end is still good? the car wasnt driving when I bought it, it was sitting in this guys yard and it wasnt registered in ten years. the funny thing is, theres still gas in the tank, cause i can hear it.

Is there anything I can do to find out? instead of rebuilding it, when i didnt have too?
 
Short of tearing it down and inspecting it, no.
 
So when I pull the rear end out, I do want to clean it and paint it.

If I were to spray it with easy off and pressure wash it, would that be fine? Or can it cause some internal damage, with seals and stuff
 
Andre68 said:
So when I pull the rear end out, I do want to clean it and paint it.

If I were to spray it with easy off and pressure wash it, would that be fine? Or can it cause some internal damage, with seals and stuff
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Pressure washing should be no issue, just cover up the vent hole if it has one.
Then take it apart and inspect everything, assume that it will need brakes, wheel cylinders, brake lines and a hardware kit at the very minimum.
Is it a 7.25 or 8.75 rear?
 
I believe it is a 8.75 I haven't pulled it yet but a quick glance that's what it looked like
 
well heres where i ask a dumb question!

How do I inspect it? I should have time to pull the rear end out this weekend hopefully
 
Andre68 said:
well heres where i ask a dumb question!

How do I inspect it? I should have time to pull the rear end out this weekend hopefully
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pull the brake drums, unbolt the axles slide them out and unbolt the center chunk
 
Factory Service Manual will show you how it comes apart.
There is an electronic copy you can download on this site.
 
Andre68 said:
well heres where i ask a dumb question!

How do I inspect it? I should have time to pull the rear end out this weekend hopefully
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Why are you touching it if you don't know ? Seems like you are just going on it may have a problem, get the car running and drive it, then if it does have a problem you'll know.

Otherwise if it's not broken how would you know if it has a gear noise or bearing noise by looking at it? and then when you take it apart blindly and don't make notes of specific settings and put it back together and now you have a noise that very well might not have been. . . .
 
So I believe this is what I got, 8 1/4 rear end (by counting the bolts on the Cover) 3.55 by seeing the tag on the cover, and sure grip by putting the rear on jack stands and spinning the wheels and seeing them both spin.

I'm draining the fluid now, it seemed good on the inside, no metal shavings it anything, a little tiny bit if rust on some of the teeth but only what was not submerged in oil I think do to the pressure wash a tiny bit of water got in, scotch brite removed the rust so it's all good now.

What type of fluid should I put in this rear? How much? And where? Also I didn't notice any gasket on the diff cover... Is there some type of gasket for it? Thanks
 

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use sure grip fluid, look on the pinion housing for a plug that a 1/2 ratchet will fit right above the flange in front of the axle tube fill it till it starts coming out.
 
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